Reasons You Should Consider Hiring Your Own Total-Loss Appraiser After A Car Accident

Law Blog

If you have been in a car accident, the insurance company typically sends an appraiser to inspect your vehicle and assess its condition prior to beginning the process of repairing your vehicle. During this inspection, the insurance appraiser will look at your vehicle and determine approximately how much the repairs will cost, and whether your vehicle should be repaired or salvaged. However, relying on the insurance appraiser is not always the best option, and in some cases, you may wish to hire your own appraiser to complete a total-loss appraisal. Here are some of the reasons you should consider doing this.  

You Disagree With the Insurance Appraisal to Fix the Vehicle

If your vehicle has sustained a lot of damage, you may be hesitant to have the vehicle repaired, and may want your vehicle salvaged. However, the insurance appraisal may state that the vehicle can be repaired. If you disagree, a total-loss appraiser can inspect your vehicle and provide their opinion. Insurance appraisers can miss things, and those may affect whether your vehicle can be repaired, For example, if the vehicle sustained certain types of damage, such as bending in the frame, the damage may be too severe to repair and your vehicle may be salvaged. 

You Disagree With the Insurance Appraisal to Salvage the Vehicle

Another reason why you may want to consider hiring your own appraiser is that the insurance appraiser is stating your vehicle should be salvaged, and you disagree. A private appraiser can look over your vehicle and provide their own unbiased opinion as to how much it will cost to repair your vehicle and whether that makes sense based on the value of your vehicle. 

You Disagree With the Salvage Settlement Offer

The final reason why you may want an independent total loss appraisal is that you disagree with the settlement offer the insurance company is providing you for your salvaged car. Insurance companies notoriously undervalue the cost of cars. An appraiser can help you determine what the true value of your vehicle is in today's market, helping you to better negotiate a settlement for your salvaged vehicle. 

If your vehicle was involved in a serious accident and you disagree with the insurance appraisal, you can obtain your own total-loss appraisal and present that report to the insurance company. An independent total-loss appraisal gives you more negotiating power, allowing you to reach a conclusion that you feel is fairer when it comes to fixing your vehicle, salvaging your vehicle, or the amount you get for your salvaged vehicle. 

Contact a local total-loss appraiser to learn more. 

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8 February 2023

Car Accident Clues

It can be hard to know what to do to protect yourself legally in the immediate aftermath of a car accident. You’re liable to be disoriented or in shock, you may be injured, and you’re surely worried about your passenger or the other driver. At least, that’s how I felt. The thing is, the things you say and do in the immediate aftermath of an accident may affect a legal case later. Depending on who’s at fault and what the laws are in your state, you may want to sue the other driver for damages, or you may find yourself being sued. My blog is designed to give you tips for a car accident lawsuit, no matter which side you find yourself on.